What if
by Cottonbud
Summary: I like to take an idea and just let my story flow so even I don't know how it will end. In this case this is a what if... when Jack returned from the Year That Never Was and Gwen tells him about her engagement he does make a move on her. It was hinted in the show that he was tempted. Jack/Ianto fans don't be too worried I'm too much of a Janto to let it go too far.


The year spent chained up by the Master had given Jack time to think, actually too much time to think, in between the deaths and resurrections and the physical torture that is. Unfortunately the Master quickly realised that Jack had a high pain threshold, that after 150 years of death, torture and resurrections that Jack, if not immune to the pain, would not be broken by physical means alone. So the Master had used another method of torture, he'd used the death and destruction of Earth and of Jack's team in particular as a tool to break Jack's mind. Jack was forced to watch endless hours of footage and live streaming of the war, some of it specifically filmed for Jack's attention.

Jack had watched as Owen had been the first to die. When the Toclafane had hit Owen had been the first one out in the streets trying to save as many lives as he could. But Owen had taken one risk too many and he'd been hacked to pieces whilst trying to rescue a young child hurt and abandoned in the street. When Jack had found Owen he'd been a broken man, life had taught Owen he was unlovable and Owen reacted by ensuring he remained unlovable. But Jack had loved the man, loved his passion and his desire to save lives and he'd wanted to save Owen. He had failed and Jack had wept as he watched the brutal death on the monitor the Master had set up. The Master had gloated in triumph.

That pain was nothing compared to the pain of watching both Tosh and Ianto die. Tosh, Ianto and Gwen had carried on after the death of their colleague. They had come out fighting and Tosh, wonderful, clever Tosh had obviously identified how a powerful charge of electricity could knock out the Toclafane and had managed to rig together some weapons. For three glorious months the Master had allowed him to watch as his team had made a difference, small though it was, they had managed to keep the Toclafane at bay in Cardiff. The Master had let him watch had let him build up his hope and his pride in his team because he knew the shock would be all the greater when it came. When the Master had entered his cell with that gleam in his eye, Jack had felt his heart sink. He'd been forced to watch as his team were led into an ambush, an ambush the Master had been planning all along. The suspense had been part of his mind games on Jack.

It didn't go quite the way the Master had planned, because Ianto, his glorious, brave Ianto, had launched himself, active grenade in hand, at the hovering crowd of Toclafane in a suicidal tactic to provide a diversion for the girls to escape. In the confusion of the ongoing battle it was unclear what exactly happened but at the end when the fighting stopped and the remaining Toclafane pulled back Tosh and Ianto were dead but Gwen had vanished. Jack noted with pride even as the grief overwhelmed him that a great number of the Toclafane had been taken down with them. Tosh, so quiet, so withdrawn, so brilliant, so much potential lost and Ianto so much more than he appeared, so much passion, so much love and so brilliant in his own right. Ianto, the man Jack had, had growing feelings for. They had just made the decision to move their relationship up to the next level to see what happened, to see where it took them, when the doctor had arrived and taken him away. He hoped Ianto had understood, he hoped Ianto had known he'd meant to come back. He hoped Ianto hadn't died thinking Jack had abandoned him.

Jack had given up for a while then, he had stopped resisting, stopped fighting as the pain of losing everyone he cared for again, was just too much but that wasn't enough for the Master, he wanted to break Jack completely.

So the Master made him aware that Gwen was still alive and still fighting and he enticed Jack into paying attention again, although he knew this was the Master's intention, Jack couldn't stop the hope from blooming in his chest . The Master showed him images of a much changed Gwen, a Gwen with hair cropped close to her head, with visible scars on her face and arms probably from the event that had killed Ianto and Tosh. Her eyes were hard and determined, no sign of the famous doe eyes or gapped tooth grin now and she'd never looked so beautiful to Jack. He could see in her face the losses she had faced, all her colleagues gone, from his absence it was safe to assume Rhys had been an early victim of the invasion too. This was Gwen but not Gwen. This was a harder version of Gwen with all her ideals and romanticism stripped away. Gwen had gathered a new team of resistance fighters around her and it was apparent that Gwen was the undisputed leader and it suited her. The Master continued to let him watch her success in avoiding capture and bringing down the Toclafane because he obviously believed that it wouldn't be for long. Except six months later, Jack could see the tension in the Master's eyes when Gwen and her band of merry men were still causing him trouble and when the updates stopped coming Jack couldn't help but feel relief. If Gwen were dead the Master would not be able to stop himself from rubbing Jacks' nose in it. So Gwen lived, Gwen continued to fight and that gave Jack hope and that gave Jack the will to carry on.

"I came back for you" his eyes brushed Ianto's "All of you" he declared looking around at his team with a pride and a longing for them to accept him back. He glanced back at Ianto who was avoiding his gaze. When he'd asked the Doctor to drop him back here he'd made a deal with himself that he wouldn't waste anymore time. Ianto however was showing some reluctance in being alone with Jack or even talking to him. Gwen however was not so shy. She cornered him alone in a corridor as soon she could.

_" Where did you go? No, no, come on, where did you go? Tell me. Talk to me_." Gwen turned on him, her huge brown eyes flashing at him in anger.

_" I have died so many times. Been dragged back into life, like being hauled over broken glass. I saw the end of the world."_ Jack found himself telling her. He hadn't meant to tell any of them anything about the year that never was but when Gwen looked at him like that he couldn't help but remember that other Gwen, the Gwen who had kept on fighting after losing everything and everyone. The Gwen that had given him hope back, the Gwen who had given him the strength to carry on.

_"How?"_

_" Doesn't matter now. But after it was all over ... I knew I belong here. What kept me fighting was the thought of coming home to you."_ He meant all of them but he knew at that point he did also mean her. He had wanted to come back to her, the last of his team to survive. He ran his hand down her arm and took her hand in his own and then he felt it.

_" What's this?" _

_" That's an engagement ring, that is." _Gwen looks at him coyly from under her fringe and Jack is surprised by the impact that statement has on him.

_"You're getting married?" _he realises his tone is probably not appropriate but he hadn't thought about Gwen actually marrying Rhys, although he had always encouraged her to keep the relationship going.

" _Yes. Rhys asked. When you were away."_

_" Wow! Gwen Cooper getting married. Down on one knee?"_ Jack made an effort to keep his voice light and unaffected while his brain processed the information.

_" He tried to, and then he had a twinge in his back and had to lie on the settee, and that's when he popped the question."_

_" And you said yes."_

_" Well, no-one else will have me."_ Gwen looked straight at him, her eyes boring into his own. Here it was the crux of the matter. He'd been here before, several times before, when lovers had given up on him ever making a commitment and moved on. Not that he and Gwen had been lovers, he had avoided that mistake this time but still this was the same ultimatum he'd faced before and always backed away from. He'd always wanted to avoid commitment before because he had known it couldn't last and hadn't wanted to face the pain when it ended, but now at that moment he had a decision to make. He had always been attracted to Gwen. He had been attracted to Gwen's ordinariness, her optimism, her naivety but he had known she was already in a relationship and he hadn't wanted to interfere with that for what was probably just a passing fancy for him. However the image of Gwen, short haired, hard eyed surrounded by death and chaos and still fighting flashed before his eyes reminding him of her passion, her strength , her fire and her potential. Before he had even realised he was going to do it, he had leant down and pressed his lips to Gwen's and he felt her respond instantly. Felt her body mould to his own, soft and inviting and he felt his own body respond, it had been so long since he had been offered any comfort, any softness and he had, had to pull away reluctantly before his body overruled his head. The others were waiting for them.

"We'll continue this later" promised Gwen softly and Jack felt his body shiver in anticipation.

They had entered the conference room together Jacks hand sitting lightly on the small of Gwen's back guiding her into the room in front of him. An innocent gesture but a crash from the corner drew Jack's eyes to Ianto. Ianto was staring a coffee cup forgotten at his feet, his eyes darting between Jack and Gwen, comprehension followed quickly by pain and then hidden again behind that cold mask. 'Damn' Jack thought. Ianto had always seen too much it was one of the reasons Jack had come to lo…like him so much.

Ianto excused himself using the excuse that he had to refresh the coffees and brushed roughly past Jack as he left the room. Jack felt like someone had physically punched him in the gut, how had he forgotten Ianto, he needed to talk to Ianto, this needed to be sorted out…but first they had to sort out John.

Gwen had surprised him twice in the meeting, first by not allowing him to take back control of his team and then by partnering him with Ianto. "You need to talk to him, Jack" she said softly when they were alone. "He thought you'd come back for him." Jack opened his mouth to say that he had but quickly realised he couldn't say that now, he'd changed everything and he really needed to talk to Ianto. So he'd given in to Gwen and ended up in an office block with Ianto who was carefully ignoring him.

" _Oh, yeah! Loving that office-y feel! Always get excited in these places. To me, they're exotic. Office romances ... photocopying your butt ...well, maybe not your butt, although as we're here, why don't we ..."_ Jack knew he was wittering but he didn't quite know how to start this conversation.

_" The rift was active at these coordinates approximately two hundred feet above ground. That means this floor or the roof."_ Ianto interrupts ignoring his nonsense, he is not even looking at Jack

_" How are you, Ianto?"_ Jack's tone is serious now. He really wants to know what Ianto is thinking, the boy is totally unreadable. Ianto stiffens at his words.

"I don't think is an appropriate conversation right now, sir" Ianto's voice is slightly strangled as though he is holding back what he really wants to say  
_  
"Can we maybe drop the sir, now? While I was away, I was thinking ... maybe we could, you know, when this is all done ... dinner? A movie?" _Jack really does not want to lose Ianto, his friendship, his companionship.

Ianto does turn to look at Jack then, the shock clear in his eyes_. "Are you asking me out on a date?"_

Jack considers the implication. _"Interested?" _he asks unsure what Ianto's reaction would be to this.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING?" Ianto is shouting, his face is red, his eyes are on fire. Jack has not seen him like this since…since Lisa, when Ianto had called him a monster and told him he would enjoy seeing him dead. This was not a good sign.

"I saw you and Gwen" Ianto is speaking softly again but the tone is dripping in malice. "When you entered the conference room I knew something had happened. I checked the CCTV coverage and I saw everything. .Back. For. Her" He spat the last five words at Jack. Jack tried to interrupt at that point, he wanted to explain that it wasn't what it looked like but Ianto wasn't ready to listen.

"You toyed with me, my feelings, you then outed our relationship in front of our colleagues before immediately deserting us, me, and running off with your Doctor without a word, and when you come back you let me think, you made me think, you had come back for me, when instead the first thing you do is seduce Gwen." Ianto stopped panting as the words finally dried up.

"It wasn't like that" Jack's words are soft, conciliatory. "I came back for you all, my whole team, but I did come back for you, you particularly. I have feelings for you but…..I have feelings for Gwen too"

"and your feelings for Gwen only transpired when you realised that she was no longer available" Ianto's tone dripped with sarcasm. "You are such a spoiled child, Jack, you always want what you can't have. You pursued me because you knew my heart belonged to Lisa and when you had won that you moved on to newly engaged Gwen. Well I feel sorry for her, how long before you get bored with her too, Jack?"

Jack felt the words hit him hard, he knew that there was a grain of truth in them. He had been selfish in his past and he had hurt so many people, but it hadn't been his intention. He just hadn't been thinking straight.

"Ianto" Jack knew he was sounding desperate but he couldn't stop himself. "I don't want to lose you again. We are good together, you know we are?"

"You can't have us both, Jack" Ianto just sounded tired now.

"Why not?" Jack can't help himself. "This obsession with monogomy is a stupid outdated 21st Century tradition" he snaps.

Ianto shot him a pitying look. " Number 1, this is the 21st Century, Gwen and I are both from the 21st Century so the one who is 'outdated' is you. Number 2, I have never asked you for monogamy, I know you can't do monogamy…" Jack takes a sharp in breath at that, he had been faithful to Ianto in the time they were together he had thought Ianto knew that. "…but I'm not going to share you with a work colleague and Gwen would never share you willingly." Jack took a breath to interrupt, but Ianto noticing held up his hand to silence him and continued "If you are going to ask me to be your bit on the side whilst you play happy families with Gwen, then forget it…" Jack squirmed uncomfortably as something along that line had crossed his mind. "…Number 3, I think your 51st Century free love line is bullshit anyway. You've told me enough about your family that I know your Mother and Father were in a committed relationship raising a family and that they weren't the exception. I think you use that line to excuse your behaviour and stop yourself from getting too close to anyone and I think you are doing the same with me now. I think you got scared and you are using Gwen to hide behind. Well you've made your bed, you have to lie in it, literally. I really do hope you and Gwen can make a go of it otherwise you will have broken three hearts for nothing, for clarification, that's Gwen, me and Rhys as I'm not convinced you have one."

Jack gasped as Ianto finished with snarl, he was lost for words. Ianto had in those few lines shown he understood more about Jack and admitted his feelings were deeper than Jack had ever suspected. He'd also said it was over, for good and Jack hadn't quite been able to digest that yet.

"You take the roof, you are good on roofs" Ianto's tone had changed back to business. "I'll search here" His back was turned to Jack and Jack knew the conversation was over for now. He would think on it and talk to Ianto again later.

After John's double crossing had been revealed and he'd handcuffed himself to Gwen, Jack had seen glimpses of the woman she had the potential to become and had felt his heart lift again for the first time since his discussion with Ianto. She'd taken it all in her stride and had been prepared to sacrifice herself to save the city from the explosion. After John had revealed that he had, had the key to the handcuffs all the time she'd landed a right hook on him that had even made Ianto declare _"Remind me to never get on your bad side". _ Maybe this was the best decision, this was the woman who had given him a reason to hope.

As time had rewound itself he gave everyone the night off so that they could avoid bumping into themselves. Ianto, Tosh and Owen had left together but Gwen had stayed behind. She twined her hand in his and looked up at him with those large soulful eyes, humour glinting in them. "So shall we finish that conversation now…Jack" her breathy voice started his heart racing. It had been over a year since he had shared his bed with anyone and his body was reacting strongly to the promise in her eyes. He brought his face to hers brushing his lips across hers experimentally and her reaction was immediate. She exhaled loudly pressing her body to his and winding her arm around his neck to pull him into the kiss. He needed this, he needed to remind himself the world had righted itself and his team was alive and brave, sexy Gwen was in his arms.

"I've booked a hotel room for the night….come with me?" he asked. He'd lost Ianto but he still had Gwen, everything would be ok.

In the hotel room he had pulled Gwen into his arms and lost himself in her softness and her delicate scent. He had silenced her questions with kisses and quickly overcame her token objections. He knew they would have to talk sometime, that Rhys had to be considered, but not then, not when he needed to forget. He allowed himself to be enveloped by her, letting all thoughts and memories fade away for that brief moment of time. Aware only of the physical sensations. Gwen quivered below him, her long-held desire for him evident in every little moan and gasp and that made him feel good, it made him feel secure. He gave himself up to pleasuring her, his control in the art of seduction was legendary after all. He tried not to think about the few times when he had been able to give up control to another and really lose himself in sexual contentment, he managed to keep the name Ianto from his mind with an effort learnt from years of practise. This was better, he was in control here and he needed to be in control.

Later as Gwen lay curled up in his arms he had convinced himself that he had made the right decision. Ianto made him weak, Gwen made him strong and he needed to be strong.

"Where's Ianto!" Jack yelled across the office, it was the next morning and he needed to clear the air with Ianto so they could continue working together. He'd sent Gwen home for the day and he'd agreed to meet her later to discuss the logistics, when did she tell Rhys?, where would they live? Not that Jack really wanted to have that discussion, he lived at the hub after all, Gwen would have to get her own place somewhere else if she wanted to leave Rhys, that was her decision. See he wasn't hung up on Monogamy at all, he felt no pangs of jealousy at the thought of Gwen and Rhys. But where the hell was Ianto?

Just then Tosh brought his attention to his ringing phone, it was his private line and only a few were privy to that. He answered it quickly "Ianto..where the hell are you?".

"Do I sound like that soft lad?" came the harsh Scottish tones that Jack recognised instantly.

"Archie, what do you want? I'm waiting for an important call" Jack was annoyed, Archie was an ornery bastard who always rang to cause trouble.

"Och, if it's that young welsh man you be waiting for you won't be hearing from him anytime soon" came the amused voice on the other end of the line. Jack's fingers tightened around the phone almost pinning it to his head. "What, what's happened, is he hurt? Why are you calling me?" Jack's heart was thumping in his chest as visions of Ianto lying dead or dying in a back alleyway filled his head.

"Not dead certainly, but hurting I would say almost certainly. What did you do to him Jack? Na don't tell me I don't care, I just know I got myself a new archivist thanks to you."

"What.."Jack was confused. "Are you saying Ianto has asked you for a job?" Jack tried to clarify.

"Asked and accepted lad. He's on his way over as we speak. I said I'd give you the glad tidings meself and happy to do it."

Jack spluttered unbelievingly into the phone. "You can't just steal my team members.."

"Not stealing when he asks to go" Archie replied" and you been telling me I needed help up here for a while now, so now I got it."

"No" Jack suddenly feels anger welling up inside. "I'm coming up to speak to him, this is not acceptable I will not permit this. He is needed here." Jack's is using his best commanding voice but Archie has know him too long to be impressed and there is soft laughter down the phone.

"Jack he doesn't want to stay there, he doesn't want to see you or speak to you. That was one of his conditions. He said to tell you it's this and you respect his wishes or he'll take the Retcon he has stored and regress himself back to childhood. You know him best but I'd say he meant it."

Jack is wordless, he does know Ianto and is pretty certain he would never threaten something he wasn't prepared to carry out but he couldn't just let him go. Ianto was part of his team, Ianto was part of his life. Jack sat down stunned the phone forgotten. Somehow he'd thought things wouldn't change that much, that although he would sleep with Gwen, Ianto would still be a close colleague and confidante. Jack tried to imagine carrying on without Ianto to care for him, to look out for him, to take control away from him when he needed to let go, to nudge him in the right direction when he was making a stupid arse of himself...like sleeping with Gwen. Ianto didn't expect him to be perfect, accepted that he was infallible, unlike Gwen who wanted the super-hero not the man. He liked being worshipped and having his ego stroked and Gwen did that in style but he loved just being himself and knowing he was accepted warts and all (figuratively speaking of course).

Jack grabbed his coat leaving at a run, shouting over his shoulder to Tosh and Owen that he had an emergency and that they would have to cope alone, not waiting to hear the complaints. His first stop was Gwen's flat. She opened the door to him with a delighted squeal and startled rambling immediately about apartments she had found and how soon she could make the move and how it could work with them living together. Jack had to hold his hand over her mouth to effectively shut her up. "Gwen I don't think we should live together" he saw her eyes open dramatically as then she bit the hand that covered her mouth. "Damn" he stepped back shaking his hand as Gwen advanced on him her eyes blazing in anger. She always looked spectacular like this but he knew he couldn't falter now. He put his hands up in surrender 'Look I'll make us a drink and we'll sit down over there and have a proper discussion. Everything has happened so fast we need time to think and plan first." Jack used his most charming, conciliatory smile and saw some of the anger in Gwen melt a little. "Ok" she huffed. " But you had better have a good reason for that last statement. I do love Rhys you know, I'm not prepared to hurt him like this for a casual fling." Jack raised an eyebrow at that he hadn't forgotten her fling with Owen even if she seemed to have.

"Here" he handed her a mug of coffee, only instant but she wasn't Ianto she wouldn't mind. He sat on the arm of the lounge and looked up at her appealingly. "Gwen it's not a casual affair" he tried to assure her "But I can't do happy ever after. You know why."

"Oh Jack sweetheart, I know it's hard for you outliving everybody but you have to have love in your life. You need a good women who can support you and help you through the difficult days. I sat by your side after Abaddon, I sat and waited for you to return. I was the only one who kept the faith. I can be good for you.

Jack looked at Gwen fondly, she had her faults and despite her compassion, she could actually be a little insensitive to others. Jack knew Ianto would have loved to have been able sit by his side at least some of the time as would Tosh and Owen to some extent but Gwen in her fury of self belief thought she was the only one would could offer him that. He knew that side of her irritated Ianto beyond belief because he considered everyone before himself, but Jack recognised the character flaw because he had it too.

"Gwen, I need you to listen to me" He patted the seat next to him and she obediently sat down looking up at him with those big guileless eyes. "I do love you Gwen. I love your passionate nature, your fierce temper and your tenacious character. Once you've made your mind up you don't give up do you?" Gwen smiled in appreciation of the compliment. "But.." he continued "You and I would clash and spark as a couple. It might run hot for a while but it would fold quickly leaving us both burned out." Gwen's eyes narrowed in anger as she saw the direction of this conversation.

"What you think you can fuck me then put me aside Jack. What type of girl do you think I am?" Jack raised an inquisitive eyebrow and saw the colour rise in Gwen's cheek as his unspoken thought 'Owen' suddenly seemed to transfer across to her. "That was different" she was spluttering now trying to justify herself. "I was new to the job, I was confused. You seduced me. You let me think it was special".

Jack shook his head. "Actually I think you did most of the seducing. I'd just come back from a difficult situation. I was confused. You knew I was making a statement to Ianto and you dove in and enticed me away and I let you." He finished sadly he knew he was as much to blame.

"Ianto, Ianto, what is it with Ianto. He's a great personal assistant but really he is a wet fish. He can't offer you what I can" Gwen was purple with rage now. Jack took the now empty coffee cup from her hand and put it aside, he held her hands in his own. He gazed into her eyes. "Gwen I'm sorry but if I was going to rate you and Ianto in bed for passion and originality Ianto would beat you hands down or tied behind his back, or even on occasion my hands tied to the bed post. I made the biggest mistake in my life letting Ianto think I chose you over him. I never could and I never would and I need to explain that to him and I need you to be ok with that."

"What makes you think I would be ok with that?" Gwen was yelling now, spittle forming on her lips. "You'd have to retcon me to get me to accept that..." understanding suddenly dawns in her eyes as she tries to shake the sudden fogginess in her head. "Oh my god .." she gasps. "You did it, you bastard you retconned me against my will." Gwen collapses back into the lounge her eyes closing even as she struggled to sit back up.

Jack watched her for a while, then laying her out on the lounge with a cushion under her head he planted a kiss to her cheek. "I'm sorry Gwen but if it's a choice between you then Ianto will always win."

Ianto had been in Glasgow a day now. He'd driven up the day before with all his personal belongings in the back of his car. Archie had booked him into a B&B for the time being until he could find his bearings. He'd thought Cardiff was cold but Glasgow was worse and on top of which he was tired as he hadn't slept for 2 days, since Jack came back. His heart faulted even at the thought of his name. How could he have been so stupid as to think he was special to Jack, he'd just been a bedwarmer until a better one came along. He'd been so tempted to take Retcon and take away the last 7 years of his life forget Jack and Lisa and Torchwood and he still had the pills stashed in his pocket should he decide that was still an option. In the meantime at least he still had his job and Archie was not so bad if you learnt how to manage him, something Jack had never done. Damn that name again.

Ianto turned into the carpark at his B&B, it was late almost midnight. He'd had no reason to hurry home, but now he knew his body was ready to drop if he didn't get some sleep. So his bed was waiting. Ianto let himself in at the main door, taking off his shoes to keep the noise down and padded to his room. As he unlocked the door to his room he felt a moment of unease, but couldn't place the feeling, he switched on the light but everything looked to be in order. Maybe his landlady had been in to tidy up although he'd told her it was unnecessary. He turned to place his keys on the table near the door and the next thing he knew he was lying on his stomach with his hands handcuffed together behind his back and a weight in the centre of his back holding him down.

"Jack" he recognised what was off now, that scent he'd recognise it anywhere but the phantom scent it had been following him a round for the last 2 days and it hadn't registered that this time it was real. "What are you doing here, I warned you what I would do if you tried to see me?" He felt the weight remove itself from his back and then a hand was helping him up, and pushing him to sit on the bed. Jack was watching him with a sheepish look on his face.

"Why do you think I cuffed you" Jack's tone was soft, not angry. "Don't want to give you a chance to do anything before I've had a chance to talk to you, explain."

Ianto shook his head sadly. "What is there to explain? You chose Gwen over me. That's your right. I just can't stay there and watch you play happy families. I think that's my right."

" I made a mistake, you don't understand what I've been through the last year. It left me confused." Jack looked down at his hands rather than at Ianto. "I've been gone a year Ianto. I wanted to explain it to you but John turned up and then Gwen...I was held captive for a year by the Master, you would know him as the Prime Minister. We lived through the destruction of the world and I saw the destruction of Torchwood. I saw you die, you, Tosh and Owen. It almost broke me, maybe it did for a while.." Jack's voice was soft and Ianto had to strain to hear him. "Gwen managed to survive, partly because of your sacrifice but mostly due to her bloody mindedness. She was magnificent" Jack couldn't help the pride and emotion that lit him up at this statement and he saw Ianto wilt at the evidence of his regard for Gwen. " I lost you but Gwen kept me sane, kept me holding on" Jack was trying to explain desperately

"I understand Jack" Ianto's tone was flat "But I still can't stay and watch you, you can't expect me to do that."

"You don't understand" Jack's tone was pleading now, he knelt in front of the younger man. "I do love Gwen, like I love Tosh and Owen too. Time had righted itself but I still had the memories, the emotions they evoked. When you died, so bravely, I thought the Master had won I hurt so much. I realized I had let you in too close. I'd given you the power to hurt me. When I came back it was with the intention of telling you how I felt, not wasting any further opportunity. But it was harder than I thought and then Gwen offered an easier solution." Jack sat back on his haunches his head resting on the other man's knee. "I took the easy route and I'm not proud. When Archie rang and told me you had gone...it was like I could suddenly see again. I had to come here and talk to you, despite your threat. I had to take the chance. Ianto you have forgiven me so much can you forgive me this.?"

There was silence for over a minute as both men considered the situations, finally Ianto asked. "What about Gwen. What happens now?"

Jack felt a small smile try to pull his lips but he held it back he knew it still wasn't time. He looked up at the face above him, using the fingers of one hand to trace the sharp cheekbones and soft lips. "I've already explained to Gwen, I've told her you are the one for me."

"She wouldn't have liked that? How are we going to work together after that." Ianto looked down at him suspicion glinting in his eyes. "What did you do Jack?"

"I retconned her, took away the last 2 days. I've left a note on file that says the backlash of the rift opening caught her, she was closest to John after all, wiped her memories. She won't remember anything after the blowfish. It was best that way, Rhys doesn't deserve being caught in this and she does love him really."

"Are you going to retcon me too" Ianto asked his eyes were a steely grey and Jack knew the answer was important.

"No Ianto, I love you because you accept that I'm not perfect, that I'm far from perfect. I wouldn't take that knowledge away from you." Jack then leant forward and pressed his lips to Ianto's, soft and undemanding. "Love me Ianto, please I need you. I know I'm a selfish git but you make me better." He murmured against the soft unresponsive lips until they opened up to admit entrance to his questing tongue and Jack sank into the embrace he had missed so much. Pulling back Jack found the key and undo the cuffs and then the men were pulling at clothes, touching and stroking and caressing skin as it was revealed. Jack stiffened as he felt a large strong hand caress his aching cock, it felt so right, he couldn't stop himself thrusting into that grasp demanding the friction as that unrelenting heat grew in his stomach and then he was coming, over and over sobbing Ianto's name as he came so fast. As he came down from the high he was aware that all his clothes had now gone and both men were naked and the younger man had two fingers in his aching hole, "Gonna fuck you now, Jack, give you something no woman can give you" Ianto was whispering in his ear and Jack shivered in delight. This was Ianto in charge and Jack loved this side of Ianto. "Gonna enter you fast and fuck you so hard that even with your regenerative powers you won't be able to sit comfortably for a week" Ianot almost growled and Jack could only nod in agreement. "Up. On your knees Jack. Now" he was commanded and Jack didn't delay to obey. His head hidden in the pillow his arse presented to the man behind him and then true to his word he felt Ianto's cock nudge his opening and before he could take a breath he felt it slam into him hard. Jack gasped, it had hurt just as Ianto promised and he loved it. After a minute for each of them to acclimatise Ianto began to pull back slowly. "faster damn it" growled Jack "You promised"

He felt Ianto chuckle behind him "You are a cock whore Captain Harkness" came the welsh tones, Jack loved it when Ianto spoke filthily to him. "Yes " he agreed "Yes I want your cock. Give me your cock" he panted. His own manhood was rapidly filling again and he wanted nothing more than to be owned by Ianto Jones. Ianto obliged pulling back and snapping his hips forward in a snap. Jack groaned part in lust, part in pain and Ianto did it again. "Keep those noises up Jack I want to hear how much you want this, want me"

"i do want you, I want this so much, I want you to pound me so hard the bed breaks. I've been thinking about this for the last year" The words were stuttered as Ianto thrust fast and hard into him from behind. Ianto was taking his own pleasure without thought for Jacks and it was bloody hot, Jack managed to get a hand to his own cock, thrusting into it and the bed clothes, as the bed frame crashed against the wall with each thrust. He could feel Ianto starting to lose the rhythm as he got close and Jack thrust harder into his own hand, running his thumb over the tip and caressing the balls on the downstroke until he felt himself on the edge. "NOW, IANTO, NOW TOGETHER" he yelled as he fell over the edge for the second time that evening, pulses of white stickyness running over his hand onto the bedcovers below as he felt the heat of Ianto's essence fill him up and start to run down his thighs. They collapsed together in a hot sticky mess on the bed. Then Jack felt a vibration against his back looking up he found Ianto chuckling soundlessly. "I'm going to have find somewhere else to stay now" he gasped. "There is no way the whole household didn't hear that. You can sure project when you want to Jack"

Jack shrugged rather proud of his performance. "You don't need to stay now you can come back with me tomorrow morning, so problem solved." But Jack was surprised when Ianto untangled himself and sat on the edge of the bed his back to him.

"No Jack I'm not coming back, well not straight away. I promised Archie I would help him out for 6 months and I mean to keep my word."

"But I thought..." Jack started his confusion showing in his voice.

Ianto turned around and took hold of Jack's hand looking earnestly at him. "Jack I took this job because I needed a break. I hoped the 6 months would give you time to think about what you really wanted and maybe, just maybe, you would decide you did want me." Jack was shocked he had thought Ianto had gone for good but it seems Ianto had known him better than he thought. Ianto held up a hand to prevent Jack interrupting. "I Know you made your mind up quicker than I expected but I still think the break will be good for both of us. We can stay in touch, meet up at weekends maybe, use the time to decide what we want longer term. I think we both need some distance and anyway I wouldn't want to be the one to tell Archie I'd changed my mind."

Jack was angry, he'd waited a year for Ianto and now he would have to wait another 6 months but he looked at the young man in front of him and knew he deserved the time after all it was Jack that had fucked up...again.

"Ok" he agreed reluctantly "But we have phone or video sex at least once a day and we agree to meet up at least once a month."

"Deal" Ianto's eyes gleamed in response.


End file.
